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2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

fire · 722835 · 2009-06-08

Vehicle

Make
CHEVROLET
Model
IMPALA
Year
2001
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Miles at failure
100,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF HER VEHICLE. SHE LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED A SMALL FIRE BETWEEN THE ALTERNATOR AND SEVERAL WIRES. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AFTER A FEW MINUTES WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE LOCAL GM DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE; HOWEVER, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND MAY HAVE STARTED THE FIRE. ONE WEEK LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT STATED "IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE". NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 WAS REFERENCED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 100,000. UPDATED 8/10/09 *CN UPDATED 08/13/09.*JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10273092
Machine
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